A Child Left Behind
by ErinMarie34
Summary: Everyone told me it was too late. I had never known my real mother, something I had always resented. But on a journey to recover the lost souls of Tree Hill, I proved it was never too late. Future fic.
1. A Pictu're Worth A Thousand Words

**A/N: **This is my **brand new **story... i'm so excited! Since I got great reviews on other boards... I thought I'd post it here too! Please R & R!

**Summary:** Everyone told me it was too late. I had never known my _real_ mother, something I had always resented. But on a journey to recover the lost souls of Tree Hill, I proved it was _never too late._

**Chapter One**

_A Picture's Worth A Thousand Words_

I turned the small, slightly faded picture over in my hand. Here I was, staring at my mother's face for the first time since I was too young to recall. Even a picture meant the world to me. I hadn't been able to take my focus off it for the past two hours, after recieving it in the mail from an old friend of my mother's. I had recieved an email from Peyton Sawyer less than two weeks ago. In in, she stated that she had known about me all along, and after my mother died she had been keeping tabs on my life and how I was doing. Recently, she explained, she had heard about the passing of my adoptive father, Chris Keller, and finally decided to contact me after a long, dreadful 14 years.

I didn't know this woman. I had never met her. And I had no proof that she was who she says. But for some reason I believed her. In the past two weeks, we emailed back and forth constantly, as she told me all about my mother and why she gave me up in the first place. My father had left with the news of his knocked-up girlfriend. He ws only 15 at the the time, much to young to start a family. And so without warning, he fled. Never to be heard from again. It was tough decision for my mother, but she had decided out of love to keep me. Her parents, her siblings, most of her friends... they all turned on her. Calling her degrating names in the hallways of Tree Hill high... banishing her from the home in which she had grown up in. When I was just a few monthes old, my mother decided to hand me over to another couple... a slightly older couple who were unable to have their own children. I'm sure she thought it was better this way. I would have a better life... a happier, healthier life. I may be healthy, but one thing's for sure... I have never been less-happy than I am at this moment.

My eyes fogged over with tears, as I stared down at the picture of the beautiful woman in her youth, a huge smile plastered on her face, standing in-between two other woman, one of which a curly-blonde I assumed was Peyton from her description. They were all wearing gorgeous gowns... I remembered Peyton explaining their homecoming dance. How I wish I had a picture of my father. I so wanted to find what my mother saw in such a cold-hearted man. I'm sure he was stunning, just like Peyton had said. My love of the game, my blue eyes and long, silky auburn hair I had inherited from him. Sometimes that fact alone frustrated me so much I wanted to dye my hair and never touch a basketball again.. I just didn't understand how I could have so much in common with such a ruthless, uncaring person.

I looked up, hearing the pound of my mother, Nikki Keller's, footsteps down the hall. My eyes darted to the doorknob, relieved to see that it was locked, as usual. "Aubrey?!" Her stern voice called from outside. I rolled my eyes and reached for the remote to my stereo, turning the volume up to an ear-peircing level. Hawthorne Heights blasted through the speakers. "Aubrey!?" My mother's aggitated voice traveled faintly throught the door. "Aubrey! Turn that down!"

She finally gave up and left. _Thank god_. I had never liked my mother. I never really liked my father either, come to think of it. We always fought, all three of us. Her mother and father were always disloyal to eachother... well not so much her dad as her mom. After my father's car accident three months ago, my mom had moved on quite quickly. The grieving process was short, for both of us. In fact, the two of us had an argument right after the funeral. She wanted to leave-apparently it would help her to get "out of the house"-and leave me to deal with the guests by myself. It was bad enough that she had already been drunk during the sermon... and brought a date. She was enough embarassment for the both of us.

Basically, I hated my life. My parents could hardly be considered that at all. My mother always wanted me to be the preppie that I was raised as... wealthy, beautiful, and popular... were all the things I was. I was not, however, preppie. My father on the other hand, had always hoped I would choose to follow in his foot steps. I had a lovely voice for singing, and I could surely play the guitar... but my heart was for only one thing. Basketball. I was a natural, and everybody knew it. But it was that one fateful afternoon when I brought a permission slip for me to join the school's team that I realized as the daughter of Christopher and Nicole Keller, I held no future in sports.

I glanced at the picture of my real mother again, smiling at the thought of meeting her one day. My smile faded. It was too late. She was dead, and I would never know her, something I would always resent. I recalled the day when I first learned of her. It was a gloomy day for me... but in a way, it was also one of my happiest.

**_Flashback_**

"I _hate_ you! I hate you both!" I screamed at my parents. I was a moody twelve-year old with quite the attitude.

My mother shook her head and softened her gaze slowly. "Honey, Aubrey. You don't mean that. We're you're parents. We know what's best for you." Nikki replied, reaching out for my shoulder.

I pulled away abrubtly, causing mymom to step back in humiliation. I hated being told what to do all the time. I hated them running my life... telling me what to wear... what to do... who to be friends with. _Who to date!_

"No! I hate you! And you know what? I wish..." I stuttered over my words, making sure I meant them before I said them. "I wish you weren't my parents!"

"_Huh!_" Nikki half-choked, half-laughed. Chris, who was sitting on the sidelines, stepped up to his wife, in warning. Nikki just pushed him away and turned back to me, her faced hardened and her eyes turned cold. "Your wish.. is my command."

My father and I watched nervously as she spun around and left the room. A moment later she returned, carrying a folder of documents in her hands. She pointed her index finger as Chris, and handed the manilla folder to me with a smirk. I stared down at it. The cover read "Aubrey Elizabeth Keller" in Nikki's handwriting. I carefully opened it, my eyes widening in disbelief. My eyes scanned the first page. It was an adoption form. At the bottom, the signatures of both of my parents, and one unfamiliar one. Haley James.

"This can't be true..." I swallowed, not taking my focus off the paper. I looked over at Chris, who's eyes seemed to be watering up. Then to Nikki.... she held a smirk of satisfaction. "Oh, no? It's funny, how people seem to change their minds so quickly."

She raised her eybrow in return, her hands crossed under her bosom. I just glared at her for a while, and then ran up the nearby flight of stairs to my room.

**_End Of Flashback_**

****

I sighed and reached across to my nightstand for the envelope from Peyton. I snagged it with the tip of my finger and manged to land it on the floor. I growled under my breath and stood from my bed to retrieve it and noticed the back of a second picture i hadn't saw before sticking out. I curiously squatted down and grabbed the envelope, pulling the picture out and gasping in awe. My mother, in the same dress as the other picture, this time standing beside a tall, very handsome brunette sporting a black tuxedo. He held her back his stomach, his hands wrapped protectively around her petite waist. Her head was cocked in an upward postition as he held her gaze with an adoring smile. This wasn't the smile of a man willing to abandon his child and the woman he loved if necassary. This was the smile of a man in love. Truly, in love. And for a moment, just a moment... I found it hard to almost impossible to resent this man. This man, who was my _real_ father.

**A/N:** The next chapter should be up in a couple of days... that is, _if_ you guys liked it! Again, _please _review!!!


	2. Quick Getaway

**A/N:** Hey! Thanks for the replies.... I'm glad you guys like it. So anyway, here's the second chapter. And also... I'm including the link for the banner for this story, incase you'd like to see

**Chapter Two**

_Quick Getaway_

That night I couldn't sleep. I kept tossing and turning under my bedspread, often glancing at the pictures set on the table beside my bed. The thought of never meeting Haley darkened my heart... but there was always Peyton. And the others she mentionied... Lucas, Brooke, Jake... I was very eager to meet them. After all, they knew my mother better than I, myself. The closest I would ever get to her, would be through her friends. I glanced at the photo of Nathan with sad eyes, regretfull that I would never know him either. Maybe not to develope a realationship with him, but to confront him with all the pain in my heart. But Nathan Scott had never been found, and it was probably for the best. Because even if he did return to Tree Hill, he would never be welcome there.

Making up my mind, I crept to my dresser and pulled a few sets of clothes from the first drawer. Then, back to my bed, to pulled a small suitcase from under it. I compacted everything I would need into the suitcase and a backpack, making sure to include the photos of my parents. Very quietly, I descended from my room and into the hallway, spotting the staircase through the thick darkness and proceeding towards it in a hurry. I stopped at the beginning however, hearing faint crying sounds and spotting a dim light from underneath Nikki's bedroom door. This was unusual. Why would my darling, self-absorbed mother be crying in the middle of the night? I considered staying, for once feeling guilty that I may in some way be hurting her for leaving without warning, but resisted. I had to go. It was the only way. There was no other option.

Once I was outside withChris' car keys (which were supposed to be mine this year, if it hadn't been for my mother claiming them as her own) at hand-even if I was only 15 and without a license-I carefully packed my luggage into the trunk of the black lincoln navigator and got behind the wheel of the SUV as quietly as possible. I sighed deeply. I had my permit, but hadn't yet recieved permission to drive without an adult in the car. This would be interesting. Just as long as I didn't violate the law, I was good to go. I looked up to Nikki's room and noticed the light within growing larger. I ducked beyond sight just as the curtain was pulled open. A moment later, I dared to peek, and saw that it had been closed again. This was it. It was now or never. Never didn't seem so intriguing. I started the engine quickly and pulled away from the house just in time to see the front room light flicker on through the windows. I stepped on the gas and sped away in a furry, anxious to get as far away from Malibu as I possibly could.

Nikki Keller sat in an upright position on her bed, hugging her knees to her chest as she cried away her life, just as she did every other night. Her daughter, Aubrey, was long past hers. She realized she could no longer pretend he was the day Aubrey learned of the truth of her parents. It was that day she realized Aubrey really did despise her, and that no signature on a peice of paper could ever truly make Aubrey hers. It was the day she stopped trying to make Aubrey love her, because the truth was, she never would. So Nikki cried, for herself, for Aubrey, and for her dead husband, who for the most part had died three years ago on the same exact day as his wife.

The truth was, he really did love his daughter, and had grown accustom to her love in return. But then she grew up, and was inclined to believe that Chris's love was really nothing more than an attempt to control her life. A shuffle of feet in the hall alarmed Nikki, and she sat still for any sign of movement. The moment passed, and she decided to finally go to bed. As she returned from her bathroom two minutes later, she vaguely heard a car door close. Moving to the window, she curiously peeled the draperies open, and peeked out the glass into the night. For a moment, she was sure her ears were decieving her. Then, deciding to go downstairs for a glass of water, she suddenly heard the engine of her navigator roar up. Hurrying to the living room, she turned on the light and rushed to the front door. Too late. The driveway was empty. Her car was gone, and soon she would find... her daughter was too.

I gasped at the road sign ahead. It read _"Welcome To Tree Hill, North Carolina"._ After two-and-a-half days of straight driving, I had finally made it to my destination. I never thought I would make it here. Even after all those countless nights when I would lie awake in bed pondering the thought of visiting Tree Hill. Ofcourse, I had mentioned this to Peyton before, but always got the same old response. It was never the right time... it was a huge deal, and these things would take time. One thing I found hilarious... it would probably hurt my mother to know that I wanted to visit complete strangers only because they were friends with the mother I never knew. But the reality was, and this I was sure of... Peyton was the only one in Tree Hill who knew-or-cared-of my existence. For all they knew, I could be dead, or worse, alive and living with most horrible people on Earth. So I didn't bring it up in our conversations anymore, the fact that I so badly wanted to go to Tree Hill, because I never wanted to make Peyton feel awakward, or guilty. She had done so much for me.

As I reached the housing part of the small town, I was in total awe of the adorable little houses in this particular neighborhood. Everything was so cozy and friendly here. I searched the street signs helplessly for hours, finally deciding to stop somewhere to ask for directions. A cute little cafe I found on Main Street and decided I could really use a cup of coffee also. The building was dim, and there seemed to be no one inside, but the sign read "open", in big neon letter. And believe me, in California, big neon signs never lie. "I'm sorry, we're closed." middle-aged woman from behind the counter called as the bell on the door began to jingle. "Well... I'm sorry but the sign says you're open. Big neon signs don't lie." I mocked. The brunetter turned around with a smile on her face, which made me smile too.

She glanced behind me and groaned. Coming around the counter, the reached behind me and flipped the sign over. Then, turning back toward the counter, she asked, "What can I get for ya?" Thoughtfully, I replied, "Actually, I was hoping you could direct me toward North Oak Street... it shouldn't be too far from here, right?"

The woman just stared at me curiously. "North Oak Street, huh? Just out of curiousity, what business would you have there?" She didn't say it rudely, but I was taken-aback anyway. Geez, small-town people sure were nosey. I guess they were just used to knowing everything at all times. "W-well..." I stuttered over words, suddenly nervous as she narrowed her eyes conspicuoisly and crossed her arms over her chest. "My mother used to live on that street..." I looked down at my feet. "I was hoping to see her house, but, if it's too much to ask, then I guess..." I turned on my heel and was about to leave when the woman called back, "No, it's fine." But the suspicion didn't leave her tone. She scribbled something down on a napkin and handed it to me. I was surprised at how close it was.

"Thanks... a lot..." I slowly backed out of the store, not able to take my eyes away from the woman no matter how rude it seemed. There was something so odd about her. Something so familiar. I just couldn't put my finger on it.... oh well. I brushed the thought off and got into my car. What really creeped me out, was that when I pulled away from the place, I caught the lady staring at me through the store-front window. Maybe she didn't recognize me from around here. Or maybe.... what could she possibly know about my mother, or whatever was down that street?

I veered to the road, suddenly coming out of my thoughts. I gasped, opening the door to the navigator and peering around. Nothing. This road-that was supposed to connect me to the one Haley James had lived on-was a dead end. A dead-fucking end. I could hardly believe she had given me false directions! I knew something was creepy about that women. Geez, the people around here... the thought made me shutter. Climbing back into the SUV, I slammed the door shut as hard as possible and sped off.

After a half-an-hour of more searching, I ended up in front of my plan-B destination. Well, actually, my plan had been to spend the night in a hotel after researching my mother's house... but apparently that wasn't going to happen right then. But after driving this far, I couldn't sit around in a hotel room all night. It was only ten or so, and I would take whatever I could get my anxious little hands on.

I managed to make it to the front door of the fairly small two-story home with sprinting back to my car and running back to California like child that I was. I self-conciously knocked as quietly as I could, and after two or three tries I gave up and turned to leave without hesitation. Just as I did this, I heard the door pull open. I spun around on my heel and looked at the person. In a mixture of confusion and surpise, they didn't look so happy to see me.


	3. Buried Alive

**Chapter Two**

_Buried Aliv__e_

I took a deep breath and stepped forward, too nervous to talk I did the only thing I knew how to. Outstretching my hand, I finally managed to say, "Hi, my name is Aubrey Keller." The woman just stared at me like I was some kind of freak on a leash. I realized how dumb I looked and dropped my arm. "What are you doing here? How did you get here?" She spit out. I stepped back and looked away. In all honesty, I was expecting here to welcome me with open arms. After all, she had seemed so straight-forwardly happy to find me on the internet.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound so... I'm just surprised." I looked up ad smiled shyly at the blond before me. "You have to understand, I know you don't remember me, but I remember you. It's just been so long...." her words faded. She put a hand to the side of her face as a thought came to mind. "Oh! I'm sorry... Come on in." I nodded, but as I walked past her, she stiffened as if wanting to hug me, but was afraid that I would contaminate her or something.

I looked around at my surroundings. Her house was small, but hardly cozy. It was darker than the one I had grown up, gloomy, at that. Noticeably, there were no pictures hung on the wall, in fact, there were no pictures anywhere in sight. She led me down the hallway. As we entered the living room, I noticed every curtain was closed, every peice of furniture seemed to produce a cloud of dust when touched, and the only sign of life in the room was a small barely-alive plant placed above the out-dated TV.

Turning back to Peyton, I was alarmed at the way she was staring at me. It gave me a chance to really take in her appearance. Much different from the picture she had sent me. Now, her hear seemed to have less volume, her un-alive, much-darker curls matted softly to her head. Her eyes, a darker shade of brown, with heavy bags under each, making her face droop in a pouty way. She was also paler, thinner... sadder. But atleast at the sight of me, she did seem to perk a little.

Peyton sat on the couch and beckoned for me to also. After a long silence, she spoke up. "So, why are you here?" I sighed and let my eyes wander to my hands. This I usually did when I was nervous, or afraid. Or both, which I was right now. Peyton wasn't at all how she seemed in her emails. "I just... I just wanted to meet you. I thought if I came to Tree Hill, I would in some way be closer to Haley."

"I'm sorry if I led you on, to believe that I could be any help to you with that." Peyton murmured. I closed my eyes as they began to burn with tears. I suddenly felt all the hope drained from me. With that one setence, I was all alone again. But this time, I had no where to run. "Are you saying that... you think I should leave?"

Peyton sighed sadly. There really wasn't much she could do. Talking to Aubrey through email was one thing. But after 14 long years... coming face to face with the confration of her best friends daughter without any warning... well, was too much for her. "Maybe... it would probably be..."

"No!" Aubrey cried, standing from the couch. She couldn't help herself, she let the tears flow freely. "I can't go back there! I _won't_!"

Peyton's face reddened with embarassment. She wasn't really sure how to react to this. She leaned over her knees, growing more stressed than was good for her. "I should warn you..." She paused, "Aubrey." I felt her eyes apon me again. "This town didn't handle Haley... you're mother's, death very well. She was very well liked around here."

"I'm sure she was." I said unsarcastically, surprised by my edgy-coldness. But Peyton didn't flinch. "What are you trying to say? That they'd hate me because my mother's dead?"

"What I'm trying to say... is that people around here... well, they might not except you." She hesitated. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but if you knew how things worked around Tree Hill you'd understand. I just think it'd be better to let it go away. If there's one thing I've learned growing up here is that the past is better kept buried."

I could hardly believe what she was saying. I had come all this way just to meet my family, and this woman, whom I hardly knew, was trying to tell me to get lost forever? I lost my temper. My face grew hot with anger and sadness. Inside I was screaming, and I felt my eyes water over. But I tried not to let Peyton notice. "Fine. Whatever _you_ think'd be best."

I turned, wiping away my tears where she couldn't see me. "Aubrey, I have something for you." Turning back, I saw Peyton had moved to the antique dresser a few feet behind the sofa. Opening to bottom drawer, she fumbled through it for something. I peered over the couch curiously. Finally, Peyton produced a thin black folder, handing it over to me. I opened it slowly, inside were beatifully hand-drawn black and white picture of my mother and father. Letting my index finger glide over a single sketch of my mother, then another of my parents together, the initials "NH" written in bold black letters at the bottom. I looked up at Peyton, and it seemed as if she smiled while looking down at them, but only for a moment before her gaze reached mine. "I'm sorry."


	4. Burning Away My Past

**A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while. It's late, and I'm tired. I've been really tired lately. That's no excuse. Anyway, hope you enjoy this. **

**Chapter Four**

_Burning Away My Past_

Miles from Tree Hill, I still wasn't sure where I was headed. Drive all the way back to California, or drive straight off a bridge? Neither idea was so appealing. Right now, I didn't want to think about Peyton, or Haley, or anything having to do with that dinky lil' town. Who needs em'? Not I. I had a perfectly good life back in California.kind of. The important thing was, I had gotten it all off my chest. The urgency to meet all of them-Peyton, Nathan- and the rest, was gone. Oh, who was I kidding?

I sighed, pulling my cell phone from the passenger seat. It rang three time before a small, tired voice answered, "Yes?". I rolled my eyes. She knew perfectly well who I was, but ofcourse, she felt the need to answer as if she hadn't just been pacing back and forth around the living room, worried as hell about me. I hesitated. How much harder could she possibly make this? "Mom?"

"This is ridiculous. You've got a lot of explaining to do. Do you understand me, young lady?" We were only miles from home when Nikki had spoken to me for the first time since arriving at the airport. With her hand propped up against her head, her elbow extending to the open window frame, mindlessly steering her silver bentley with her right hand (The Navigator was being personally driven back from North Carolina), her dark beady eyes glanced over at me questioningly. This however, I failed to notice because I was staring out my own window, my hands firmly folded over my stomach. "Aubrey?" She straightened up and glanced back-and-forth between the me and the road. "Are you hearing me?"

We pulled into the mansion's driveway and I quickly got out, threw my back-pack over my shoulder and stalked inside. Nikki groaned and followed. "Aubrey!" She yelled as I hurried up the stairs. I flew around, nearly losing my balance. "What?!"

"Do you realize what you've put me through today?"

"Do you expect me to feel guilty about it?" I wondered. I knew it seemed harsh, but I meant it.

"Yes," She snarled. "You're only fifteen. You don't even have a license! Do you realize how much trouble you could have gotten me into if you were caught?!"

Oh, so that's what this was about. Why should I care if she got in trouble with the law? Knowing Nikki, she could probably sleep her way out of it...

"You committed grand theft auto..." She continued, waving her hands in all directions.

"Grand theft auto! That was supposed to be my car!" I cried frustratedly.

"Well, it's mine. And I've got the papers to prove it." She challenged.

I narrowed my eyes. "Fine! You can have everything, all of it! But you don't own me!"

A smirk spread across her face. Uh oh. "Actually, I've got the papers to prove that too."

I gasped. Unbelievable! I could tell she regretted the words almost immediatley, but she was a master at hiding her emotions. I turned on my heel and stormed the rest of the way up the stairs, slamming my door shut.

Downstairs, Nikki was pulling the suitcase from her trunk, hoping it would give her an excuse to talk to Aubrey. She dragged it inside and laid it near the couch. A thought crossed her mind. She had known Aubrey was in Tree Hill within' ten minutes of her departure that night. After searching her room for any trace of where her daughter could posibbly be, she found the empty envelope adressed to Aubrey Keller. From Peyton Sawyer. A familiar face popped into her head. Those bright-blond ringlets. Skinny, pale figure. Emo-cheerleader? A friend of Lucas', perhaps. Definitley a friend a Haley James.

Looking down at the luggage beside her, she swallowed. But she couldn't. Could she? That would be an invasion of Aubrey's privay. But, maybe.... She leaped to the floor and unzipped it in a frenzy. Clothes. More clothes. Aha! At the bottom of the suitcase lay a black folder, creased and frayed at the edges. Pulling it out, she carefully opened it in the dim fire-light behind her, her eyes widening in anger.

Later that night, I sat in my room against the headboard of my bed, my knees pulled up against me, with my old childhood bear in hand, tears rolled one-by-one down my rosey-red cheeks. It was useless, she hadn't been able to keep her mother, or that "dinky lil' town" out of mind for a second. The worst part was, Peyton's drawings-which she so eagerly wanted to finish pondering-were stashed away in her suitcase downstairs. On top of everything, she had forgotten to grab her luggage before storming off. But she couldn't hold out til' morning. It was nearly eleve, Nikki should be out, or sleeping, by now. She slipped quietly out of the room, Peeking over the balcony, she saw darkness, except for a dim fire in the living room which Nikki usually left to die out itself each night during winter.

Creeping down the staircase, I stopped mid-way as the large cathedral room came into view. I almost choked on the revelation of what I was seeing. Nikki sat sprawled out before the fire, the folder Peyton had given me open, several drawings scattered in front of her.She tossed in another, before I had a chance to scream, "_Stop_! What are you doing?!"

She kept a straight face and picked up the remainder of the drawings. I raced down the stairs in a panic, just as she discarded the pictures into roaring flames. I screamed and reached out for it, but Nikki stood and grabbed me around the waist, holding me back with every bit of strength she had in her.


End file.
